Sanwo-Olu education initiative launches $25M Lagos fund and executive order to ensure school-age children attend classes and achieve measurable learning outcomes

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has announced plans to issue an Executive Order aimed at preventing school-age children from roaming the streets during school hours while unveiling a $25 million initiative to improve learning outcomes across the state.

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The governor made the announcement on Friday during the launch of the Lagos Education Access Fund (LEAF) and the inauguration of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB).

“I will be issuing an executive order to back this up and ensure that we are putting our money where our mouth is,” Sanwo-Olu said.

“No child should be seen outside between 8.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. unless there is a very good reason that child is not in school.”

Sanwo-Olu explained that the LEAF initiative marks a transition from focusing mainly on increasing school enrolment to prioritising measurable learning achievements, stressing that enrolling children in school alone is insufficient unless it translates into improved literacy, numeracy, and consistent retention.

Under the programme, Lagos State, in partnership with the Education Outcomes Fund and other development partners, will deploy $25 million in outcomes-based financing to support over 200,000 children across the state.

The initiative aims to enrol more than 50,000 out-of-school children aged six to 14 into the formal education system through targeted community engagement and interventions addressing barriers to attendance.

In addition, about 150,000 pupils already enrolled in schools will receive support to strengthen literacy and numeracy development, ensuring regular classroom attendance leads to tangible learning gains and long-term academic success.

“This initiative is not just about funding education; it is about ensuring every investment translates into real learning, real opportunity and measurable outcomes for our children,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor highlighted that the LEAF initiative builds on the achievements of Project Zero, launched in 2021 to tackle out-of-school children, which has successfully identified, tracked, and enrolled over 36,000 children in Lagos.

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Sanwo-Olu noted that the planned executive order will reinforce efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children and encourage greater accountability among parents, communities, and institutions responsible for ensuring that every child of school age attends school regularly.